Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree fails to live up to one of its earliest promises. The DLC is, in every sense of the word, expansive. It builds on the lore of Elden Ring's most important characters and minor figures alike, creating a whole new chapter to the story. While it's not totally central to the Elden Ring story, it contains a multitude of important reveals and essential context that completely redefines much of the base game. In that way, it's everything it was cracked up to be.

[Warning: This article contains a minor spoiler for Shadow of the Erdtree's ending.]

But the earliest reveal for Shadow of the Erdtree featured an image that, for all intents and purposes, has never been explained. As innocuous as it seems at first glance, it raises infinite questions about the Tarnished's closest companion, and one of the most mysterious, yet important figures in Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree's shared pantheon. And yet, none of it is ever described, explained, or even addressed in either the base game or its DLC.

Why Was Miquella Riding Torrent In Shadow Of The Erdtree's Reveal?

Elden Ring Never Explains This Image

The first concept art revealed for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree featured an image of what appears to be Miquella riding Torrent, but Miquella and Torrent are never seen or described together in-game. Although the figure's golden hair sparked speculation about their identity, with many assuming it was Marika, the particular length and braiding, along with the white clothing, matches Miquella's appearance in the DLC. Many also assumed the horned horse pictured was Torrent, as no other such creature appears anywhere in Elden Ring.

Various horses appear elsewhere in Elden Ring and its DLC, but Torrent is the only one to have goat-like horns.

So, it seemed like Shadow of the Erdtree would explore some definitive connection between Torrent and Miquella, but for one reason or another, it didn't. Both Miquella and Torrent appear in the DLC, although in vastly different capacities. There's nothing to even imply they ever met, let alone that Miquella might have ridden Torrent on his journey across the Land of Shadow, as he appears to be doing in the image. As revealing as the DLC is, that's more than a bit disappointing, especially considering how precious little lore around Torrent already exists in canon.

Elden Ring's Torrent Is One Big Missed Opportunity

But The DLC's Concept Art Hints At A Lore Connection

It's a shame that Shadow of the Erdtree doesn't include a deeper explanation of Torrent's lore, as there's so little about Torrent in the base game to go off. However, taking what is known about Torrent in conjunction with this concept image, it is possible to infer some things about Elden Ring's spectral steed - even if doing so leaves major questions unanswered. Starting at the beginning,

gives the Tarnished a the first time she meets them. However, she's careful to point out that she's not simply giving the horse away - Torrent chooses the Tarnished to claim the Elden Ring, even before Melina, as she acknowledges after they defeat Godrick. So, while Torrent is clearly on Melina's side, it's pretty clear that he has a mind, conscience, and preference of his own.

One of the few other characters to acknowledge Torrent by name is

. Shortly after the Tarnished first meets her at the Church of Elleh, Ranni will reveal that she's heard tell of them riding a spectral steed. She refers to Torrent by name, and even gives the Tarnished a gift said to be from "Torrent's former master" - the , which allows them to summon Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring. Here, Ranni reveals two important tidbits of lore: first, that Torrent once had another master, whom Ranni knew; and second, that master had a vested interest in seeing the Tarnished succeed.

So, the player is left to wonder who Torrent's former master was, but Shadow of the Erdtree's concept art may hold an essential clue. The image above seems to imply that Miquella was Torrent's former master, which is easy to square with everything else known about the two of them. At the end of Elden Ring's DLC, Miquella reveals that he and the Tarnished basically have the same goal: to end the Golden Order's tyranny, and usher in a new era.

Perhaps he sent Torrent back to the Lands Between while he was busy in the Land of Shadow, where the spectral steed was able to sniff out a Tarnished to ally with their cause. But when that same Tarnished began to follow in Miquella's footsteps and posed a threat to his plan, Miquella was forced to step in, explaining his cause and offering a final opportunity to forge an alliance before attempting to forcibly charm and/or kill them.

So, while the DLC itself doesn't reveal anything new about Torrent specifically, the hints may have been there all along. The hints to suggest a connection between Miquella and Torrent are subtle, obscure, and ambivalent - but then again, what in FromSoft lore isn't? In Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree as ever, it's up to the player to connect the dots.